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Is the Beretta A3 Ready to Be the Military's Next Sidearm?
[Shooters Log] The military is making noises concerning a new sidearm. There is some controversy. Handguns, for whatever reason, seem to come with more emotional attachment and a sense of history than the rifle. I believe, that as a close quarters combat pistol, the Beretta 92 is lacking the most important attribute a sidearm should have and that is wound potential.There is junk science in the world, and I choose to ignore it--as will most professional soldiers and peace officers. Beretta A3 with ammunition box pistol case The Beretta A3 is the latest in a long line of 9mm Beretta military handguns. There is much to be said for the military simply ordering the pistols they need without going through a cumbersome trial. Congressional oversight is all well and good, after all, it is our tax money (As if congress has a good record for spending our money). The pistol should be vetted in an exhaustive trail but that isn’t that difficult. All it takes is time, personnel, and ammunition. The Beretta A3 isn’t a new pistol but a modified Beretta M9/M92. Senator John McCain felt that the Army should choose the caliber first. From his report: "The Army plans to conduct ’an open caliber competition,’ which means the choice of caliber is left up to the discretion of industry. But the caliber of the cartridge and the type of bullet it launches is arguably the most important performance component of the handgun," the report states. Army officers have made comments such as ’just buy a bunch of Glock 19 9mm pistols’, a reasonable trend. There are certain requirements in the Army circular for the MHS pistol (Army Modular Handgun System) that cannot be met by many pistols but which may be met by the Beretta A3. The A3 is an updated Beretta 92. That isn’t a bad thing as the Beretta’s primary advantage is reliability. It is accurate enough for any foreseeable handgun task. Con't. Posted by: Besoeker 2016-11-13 |
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